931 
^364 
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/; I 



KLONDIKE GOLD MINERS 



OF THE 



Alaska^ Yukon=^KIondike 
Gold Syndicate.... 



CAPITAL, $500,000. 



OFFICERS. 

Hon. Fred Emery Beane, Pies., CoI.Wm. J. Maybury, m.d., Tieas. 
Ex-Mayor, Hallowell, Me. Surgeon General of Maine, Sat-o. 

C. E. Jeffrey, Vice Pres., William H. Jeffrey, Sec. 

Gejieral Manager Life Insurance, Editor and Publisher. 

Biddeford, Me. Portland, Me. 

Geo. H. Davis. Sup't of Mining, 
Holy Cross, Colorado. 



OFFICES: 

CASCO NATIONAL BANK BUILDING, 

\9\ Middle St., PORTLAND, ME. 






16155 



M-3\ 
.A364- 





HON. FRED E. BEANE, 

President, 

Hallowell, Maine. 



This little booklet is presented to the public with two 
objects in view ; one, which the reader must necessarily 
understand, is for advertising purposes and to better ac- 
quaint the general public with the plans of the Alaska- 
Yukon-Klondike Gold Syndicate, and also to give definite 
information concerning those who are to accompany our 
expedition into that far away and perpetually frozen 
region. 

It is estimated, by very conservative authorities, that 
at least a hundred thousand men and women will go to the 
Yukon district from the United States and Canada upon 
the approach of Spring-time ; and that fully another hun- 
dren thousand will go there from Europe. 

It is assumed that the reader is interested in the sub- 
ject of mining, both quartz and placer, and that he is 
either a prospective investor or one who desires to go into 
that region. It is an old saying, familiar to all, that, " for- 
tune seldom knocks at our door" and when she does we 
should throw it wide open and bid her " welcome." 

Gold mining is, without doubt, the most fascinating of 
all mining, and so it is very natural when a discovery is 
made in any region, that there should be a rush in propor- 
tion to the importance of the discovery. There has never 
been in the history of the world, gold discoveries that 
were as rich as those of the Klondike region. California 
amazed the world; she has had fifty years in which to 
establish a reputation ; Klondike has had less than one 
year, and that year has far surpassed the early years of the 
California discoveries. Carefully selected mining invest- 
ments are sure to prove of great value and yield enormous 
returns. 




COL. WILLIAM J. MAYBURY, M. D. 

Treasurer, 

Saeo, = Maine. 



While it is true that mining operations have failed, so 
it is true in every other walk of life. Railroads have been 
constructed and failed, but one would not condemn rail- 
roading ; banks have been established and failed, but \Ye 
do not condemn banking ; and so in all of our mercantile 
and manufacturing pursuits the same can be said ; but 
when we consider that there are no metallic substances 
used to supph' our wants but are the result of some mining- 
enterprise, we then begin to ai)preciate the vastness of 
mining operations. 

That the Yukon-Klondike district is rich beyond even 
the miser's dreams is no longer questioned. The only 
thing to be determined to-day is, will you, reader, acquire 
a portion of its wealth ? Do you propose to obtain some of 
the golden harvest which now awaits the reapers? And if 
so, the question to determine is what mode of procedure is 
most likely to bring the greatest returns within a reason- 
able time for a small investment, and to that end we desire 
to call your attention to the plans of our Syndicate and the 
men who compose its expedition, which is about to depart 
for the Yukon country. 

On the 14th day of July, 1897, the little steamer. Excel- 
sior, arrived at San Francisco, having on board some forty 
miners, each of whom brought with him from the ice- 
bound interior of Alaska, a fortune in gold. From that 
day dates the Klondike Gold Stampede, which has far 
rivalled in extent the three great gold discoveries of the 
century: California in 1849, Australia in 1851, and South 
Africa in 1890. Already more than seven millions of dol- 
lars in glittering gold have l)een brought from that region, 
and it is estimated by government experts who have 
observed the "clean up" that has not reached civilization, 




C. E. JEFFREY, 

Vice President and Agent, 

Biddeford, Maine. 



that fully seventy millions of dollars in dust and nuggets 
will be brought down during the next season. When mil- 
lions of gold can be taken out in a single year under the 
most disadvantageous conditions, with a climate extremely 
severe and the operators working with the most primitive 
instruments known to the miner's art, it is difficult indeed 
to conceive the fabulous amounts that must be yielded 
up when capital, experience and modern equipments are 
applied. 

During the month of September last, the Alaska- 
Yukon-Klondike Gold Syndicate was incorporated under 
the laws of the State of Maine with an authorized capital 
of five hundred thousand dollars. The Syndicate is author- 
ized by its liberal charter privileges, granted by the State 
of Maine, to buy, sell, purchase and hold mineral, personal 
and real estate, to operate mines and mining properties as 
well as to prospect for and locate them, and to carry on 
any other business that may be necessary for the success- 
ful carrying out of the plans of the organization. 

It will send, during the month of March of next year, 
an expedition of about twenty-five men into the Yukon- 
Klondike region. These men will be thoroughly equipped 
to take the greatest possil)le advantage of every condition 
that may be found ; they will not go in as employees but 
each is within himself a partner of the Syndicate. Each 
man is required by contract to hold or represent at least 
one thousand shares, fully paid for at its par value, of the 
capital stock of the Syndicate in order to become a mem- 
ber of the expedition. He receives no salary for his ser- 
vices, which he contracts to give for eighteen months in 
prospecting, locating and acquiring mineral claims in Alas- 
ka and the northwest territory of British Xorth America, 




WILLIAM H. JEFFREY, 

Secretary, 

Portland. Maine. 



but when he locates a claim, forty-nine per cent, of its 
product belongs to him, and tifty-one per cent, to the stock 
of the corporation, that is, it is divided j^>-o rata among all 
who have contributed to the exi)ense of the exi)edition, so 
that each member is interested directly and financially in 
every claim that each of the entire expedition shall locate ; 
so that when one member of the expedition shall make a 
discovery, he will be anxious to have the information con- 
veyed to the members of his own party first, so that as 
many claims as possible may be staked by his associates 
before any outside party shall learn of the discovery. In 
this manner each member of the expedition has twenty- 
four men beside himself, all co-operating and working to 
secure claims for him, and when one member discovers pay 
gravel or quartz veins every other member of the expedi- 
tion and every stockholder, whether there or at home, 
receives his proportion or part of fifty-one per cent, of the 
claims discovered. 

A fair Klondike claim is worth one hundred thousand 
iollars. The Rothschild's Syndicate has offered to pay one 
million and two hundred thousand dollars for any ten 
consecutive Klondike claims on either Bonanza, Eldorado 
or Hunker Creeks, or one hundred thousand dollars each. 
Now it is the purpose of this Syndicate to sell fifty thou- 
sand shares of the stock, one-half of which is taken by the 
members of the expedition wiio go into the field, the other 
half to be subscribed for those who do not wish to stand 
the rigors of the Alaskan winter and who at the same time 
desire to share in the immense profits that must be derived 
from an expedition composed of men who not only put in 
their money, but a year and a half of their time, receiving 



11 




I'J 

no compensation other tlmn food, clothing- and shelter, 
unless they succeed in locating claims. 

All subscriptions are to back these men who have each 
a thousand dollars of money and a year and a half of time 
at stake, and with twenty-five men of this class working 
for you, your investment is bound to yield a hundred fold. 
We have no hesitancy in saying, and we believe that it 
cannot be contradicted, that there is no enterprise that 
will go into Alaska in the coming spring so well equipped 
and with so many elements of success as will our organiza- 
tion. Remember that every man who accompanies the 
expedition has placed a thousand dollars in the stock of 
the Syndicate ; remember that he gives a year and a half 
of his time and his money to help make your investment 
pay ; remember that each man is carefully picked with 
regard to his moral, social, intellectual and physical qualifi- 
cations; remember that if one fair Klondike claim is staked 
by any one of the entire party, you will receive a divi- 
dend of about one hundred per cent, the first year, and if 
more is found, your dividends will increase in proportion. 
Nearly all the stock that we propose to offer at this time 
has been subscribed ; only a small amount remains, which 
is being rapidly taken by those who appreciate the possibil- 
ities of such an undertaking. 

It might not be amiss to call your attention to the 
olficers of the Syndicate and their standing, and also to the 
men who will compose the expedition. We present to the 
reader, i)ortraits of our otticers and members of our expe- 
dition, such as have sent their photographs to this office up 
to the time of going to press. Others who are now under 
contract will appear in a later edition. 



13 




FRANK VV. HOWARD, 

Dover, Maine, 

Formerly a Grain Merchant of 

Big Timber, Montana. 



First, we present a splendid likeness of our President, 
Hon. Fred E. Beane, Ex-Mayor of Hallowell, the present 
Secretary of the Democratic State Committee and also the 
present Supreme liepresentative of K. of P. of the world. 

Xext, we present a i)ortrait of our Vice-President, Mr. 
C. E. Jeffrey, of ]3iddeford, who is too well known in the 
western section of our State to need any introduction. Mr. 
Jeffrey has been a successful General Insurance Agent 
for many years, and at present has charge of the business 
of one of Maine's largest companies. 

AVe next present the portrait of our Treasurer, Col. 
Wm. J. Maybury, M. D., Surgeon General of Maine on the 
staff' of Elis Excellency, Governor Powers. Col. Maybury 
is also too well known to require commendation. 

The next is a portrait of William H. Jeffrey, the 
Secretary, who has for several years been identified with 
tlie press of Maine. 

The next portrait is that of our Superintendent of Min- 
ing, Mr. Geo. H. Davis, late of the Holy Cross Mines, Col- 
orado. Mr. Davis, as a miner and expert, has but few 
equals and no superiors in this country, and the fact of the 
mining feature of our enterprise being under the direction 
of one of so large an experience and of whose ability and 
energy there is no question, is certainly a guarantee that 
nothing will be left undone that would tend to make our 
operations more successful. Mr. Davis will accompany 
and have charge of the advance party that will precede the 
main expedition by about one month. 

The remaining portraits are of men who are well known 
in their respective towns. Each is strong, able bodied, in- 
telligent and hardy, with determination, pluck and persev- 
erance and bound to succeed in their deternunation to ac- 




ALFRED D. COTTLE, 
Farmer, 
Belgrade, Maine. 
An experienced gold miner. 



16 

quire wealth. To do so they must make their investment 
and yours worth a hundred times its par value. 

We should be pleased to have any who are interested 
in this enterprise to investigate into the standing of the 
Syndicate and its officers, or make inquiry as to the stand- 
ing, socially, financially or physically, of any member of the 
expedition that is to go into Alaska. 

As soon as the expedition arrives at Dawson City, the 
men will divide up into small ijrospecting parties and scat- 
ter over a vast area of country seeking for gold, maintain- 
ing a general headquarters where some twenty-five tons of 
food, clothing and implements necessary to carry on their 
work, will be stored. Weekly reports will be sent back to 
headquarters so that the entire party will know all the time 
just where each is located and be prepared, at a moment's 
notice, to start for rich strikes made by any of their asso- 
ciates anywhere in that vast and fabulously rich country. 



Extract from Lecture on the Klondike Mining District 

r,Y 
WILLIAM OQILVIE, F. R. G. S , 

SURVEYOR TO THK DOMINION' OF CANADA, 

Delivered at Victoria, British Columbia, November 5th, 1897. 

Hon. Col. Baker, Minister of Mines, occupied the 
chair. Col. Baker referred to Mr. Ogilvie's great services 
as an explorer in the North during the past ten years, for 
which he had received the medal of the Royal Geograph- 



17 




CHESTER W. DOTEN, 

Merchant, 

Woodford's Corner, Deering, Maine 



IS 

ical Society and had been made a Fellow of that celebrated 
body. 

Mr. Qoilvie then came forward, and, after the noise of 
the hand-clapping had subsided, said in part: 

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: — After the 
flattering introduction given me- by the Chairman and your 
very hearty reception, I feel called upon to make a few 
preliminary remarks in explanation of my position. My 
hands are tied officially and I am not able to disclose cer- 
tain things until a certain blue-book is published at 
Ottawa, which I hope will be early next year. 

I will flrst introduce you to the Dyea route, which has 
been used by the Indians for generations. And it is evident 
that they knew their business in selecting it. The word 
"Dyea" is itself an Indian one, meaning "pack" or 
"load" — a very appropriate name for the trail. From 
tide water to the mouth of the canyon it would be as easy 
to build a road as well as can be imagined, as easy almost 
as to construct one along one of your city streets. From 
the mouth of the canyon to Sheep Camp, construction is 
more difficult; in fact, it would probably be necessary to 
suspend the road by iron girders from the sides of cliffs. 
From Sheep Camp to the head of the climb is yet more dif- 
ficult, as all who have gone over the road will heartily 
agree. 

It is very steep and very, very stony. From the summit 
to Lake Lindeman there is a decline of one thousand three 
hundred and twenty feet, and the road has been somewhat 
improved of late. Lake Lindeman itself, the first lake, is 
about four and a half miles long and between Lake Linde- 
man and Lake LeBarge there is a sandy ridge three-quar- 



19 




FRED A. JACKSON, 

Farmer, 

East Winthrop, Maine. 



.20 

ters of a mile long which brings us to the end of the 
present Dyea route. 

EARLY GOLD DISCOVERIES. 

Next let me tell you something about the history of the 
discovery of gold in the Yukon. In 1872, September 2, two 
Xorth of Ireland men, from County Antrim, -named Har- 
per and F. W. Hart, left Manson Creek to go on a prospect- 
ing trip down the Mackenzie River. 

Tlie result of Harper's prospecting he gave to me as 
follows: On the Nelson, nothing; on the Liard, colours; 
on the Mackenzie, nothing; on the Peel, fair prospects; on 
the Bell, nothing; on the Porcupine, colours; and prospects 
everywhere on the Yukon. 

Provisions giving out, they had to make their way 
down the river to St. Michael's. On his way back Harper 
saw an Innian with some gold he said came from the 
Kovukuk. 

Inquiry elicited from the Indian the place where he 
found the gold and Harper prospected there all winter but 
found nothing. It is now known where the Indian got the 
gold, which was not at the place he indicated. During the 
summer, McQuesten made his way up the Yukon and built 
Fort Reliance, about six and a half miles below the mouth 
of the now famous Klondike. 

In the following summer. Harper joined him there, and 
they traned in partnership at that post for many years. 
The valley at the Klondike was their favorite hunting 
ground, but they never prospected there, and if they had, 
in the Klondike itself they would have found nothing, for 
it is a swist mountain stream which has washed away all 



21 




LOUIS B. CARON, 

Millman, 

Gorham, N. H., 

Formerly of 

Cambridge Junction, Vermont. 



tlie fine gold and gravel, consequently the gold would sink 
out of sight, and in those days no prospecting was done but 
on the bars in the rivers and creeks. 

In 1882, gold was found on the Stewart Kiver by two 
brothers, by name Boswell, from the vicinity of Teterboro. 
A number of Cassiar miners had discovered the river from 
Lake Le Barge, and had done considerable prospecting, 
finding line gold. On the Stewart, the bars yielded fine 
gold in small quantity. In 1886, Mr. Harper established a 
trading post, and in the same year some prospectors found 
coarse gold at Forty-Mile. 

This took all the miners up to the Forty-Mile, coarse 
gold being what every miner is looking for, and the excite- 
ment there continued to draw them until 1891, when gold 
was found on Birch Creek, two hundred miles below Forty- 
Mile. This, of course, boomed Birch Creek, and in 1891, 
everyone at Forty-Mile went down there. One or two 
creeks are rich. 

Gold was found on the head of Forty-Mile. Napoleon 
Gulch, named after the Frenchman who located it, is rich 
in nuggets. Franklin Gulch is pretty rich, as are also 
Davis, Mosquito and Chicken Creeks. The last named, 
discovered in 1896, was considered very rich at the time, 
this being a few weeks before the discovery of the gold in 
Eldorado and Bonanza. For some time there was a doubt 
as to wiiether some of the creeks upon which gold had been 
found were in Alaskan territory and in 1886, I was sent in 
by the authorities to mark the boundary line. 

THE FIRST OF KLONDIKE. 

The discovery of the gold on the Klondike was made 
by three men, Robert Henderson, Frank Swanson, and an- 



23 





HARRY A. NEVENS, 

Clerk, 

Deering, Maine. 



other one named Miiiison. In July, 1896, they took out 
from a little nook a pan which encoiiraoed them to try fur- 
ther. In a few moments more they had taken out twelve 
dollars and seventy-five cents. 

In August, 1896, the leader, generally known as Siwash 
George, because he lived with the Indians, went down to 
Forty-Mile to get provisions. He met several miners on 
his way and told them of his And, showing the twelve dol- 
lars and sevent3^-five cents which he had put in an old Win- 
chester cartridge. They would not believe him, his repu- 
tion for truth being somewhat below par. The miners said 
he was the greatest liar this side of — a great many places. 

They came to me finally and asked me my opinion, and 
I pointed out to them that there was no question about his 
having the, twelve dollars and seventy-five cents in gold; the 
only question was, therefore, where he had got it. Then 
followed the excitement. One man who went up was so 
drunk that he did not wake up to realization that he was 
being taken by boat until a third of the journey had been 
accomplished, and he owns one of the very best claims on 
the Klondike to-day. (Laughter.) 

Boulder, Adams and other gulches were prospected, 
and gave good surface showings, gold being found in the 
gravel in the creeks. Good surface prospects may be taken 
as an indication of the existence of very fair rock-bed. It 
was in December that the character of the diggings was 
established. Twenty-one above discovery on Bonanza was 
the one which first proved the value of the district. The 
owner of this claim was in the habit of cleaning up a couple 
of tubfuls every night, and paying his workmen at the rate 
of a dollar and a half an hour. Claim Xo. 5, Eldorado, was 
the next notable one, and here the pan of one hundred 



25 




VIRGIL C. JACKSON, 

Farmer, 
East Winthrop, Maine. 



2(t 

and twelve dollars was taken oat. That was great. There 
was then a pan of even greater amount on No. H, and 
they continued to run up every day. The news went down 
to Circle City, which emptied itself at once and came up to 
Dawson. 

MANY HUNDRED /VIILLIONS. 

Bonanza and Eldorado Creeks afford between them 
two hundred and seven-sight claims; the several affluences 
will yield as many more, and all of these claims are good. 
I have no hesitation in saying that about a hundred of 
those on Bonanza will yield upwards of thirty millions of 
dollars. Claim 30 below, on Eldorado, will yield a million 
in itself, and ten others will yield from a hundred thou- 
sand dollars up. These two creeks will, I am quite con- 
fident, turn out from sixty mil- Ions to seventy-five mil- 
lions of dollars, and I can safely say that there is no other 
region in the world of the same extent that has afforded 
in the same length of time so many home stakes — fortunes 
enabling the owners to go home and enjoy the remainder 
of their days. 

On Bear Creek, about seven or eight miles above that, 
good claims have been found, and on Gold Bottom, Hunker, 
Last Chance, and Cripi)le Creeks. On Gold Bottom, as 
high as fifteen dollars to the pan has been taken, and on 
Hunker Creek the same. 

On Stewart and Pelley rivers some prospecting has been 
done and gold found, and on the Hootalinqua, in 1895, good 
pay was discovered, and the richness of the gold increases 
as work is continued further down. Some men, working 
fifteen feet down, found coarse gold, when the water drove 
them (Hit, and they had to abandon the work and come out 




FRANK J. CARON, 

Miilman, 

Qorham, N. H., 

Formerly of 

Brownington, Vermont. 



determined to return: but they did not go back, as in the 
meantime the Klondike excitement knocked that place out. 

Gold has been found at the head of Lake Le Barge, on 
the stream flowing- into the lake at this point. In fact, 
there is gold everywliere in this zone, which is five hundred 
miles long by one hundred and fifty wide. Prospects are to 
be found on the Dal ton Trail, on the other side of the Yu- 
kon river. A man riding along the Altsek Trail was 
thrown from his horse, and, in falling, caught at the 
branch of a tree. As he drew himself up, he saw some- 
thing shining on the rock, which fixed his attention at 
once. Pie picked it up and found that it was gold. 

A fact that I am now going to state to you, and one 
that is easily demonstrated, is that from Telegraph Creek 
northward to the boundary line, we have in the Dominion 
and in this Province an area of from five hundred and fifty 
to six hundred miles in length, and from one hundred to 
one hundred and fifty miles in width, over the whole of 
which rich prospects have been found. AYe must have from 
ninety thousand to one hundred thousand square miles, 
which, with proper care, judicious handling, and better fa- 
cilities for the transportation of food and utensils, will be 
the largest, as it is the richest gold field the world has ever 
known. 

MOUNTAIN OF GOLD ORE. 

In regard to quartz claims, seven have already been 
located in the vicinity of Forty-Mile and Dawson, and there 
is also a mountain of gold-bearing ore in the neighborhood. 
About forty miles up the river, two large claims have been 
located by an expert miner hailing from the United States, 




THOMAS E. JACKSON, 

Meat Dealer and Farmer, 

Manchester. Maine. 



and who has had considerable experience in Montana and 
other mineral States, and he assured me that the extent of 
the lode is such that these two claims are greater than any 
proposition in the world. On Bear Creek a quartz claim 
was located last winter, and I drew up the papers for the 
owner. He had to swear that he had found gold; he swore 
that he did, and he told me the amount, which, if true, will 
make it one of the most valuable properties that exists in 
the country. 

On Gold Bottom another claim has been located, and I 
made a test of the ore. I had no sieve, and had to employ 
a hand mortar, which you who know anything of the work 
will understand would not give best results. The poorest 
result ol)tained was, however, one hundred dollars to the 
ton, while the richest was one thousand dollars. About 
thirty miles up the Klondike another claim was located, 
and the man swore that it was rich, although he wouldn't 
say how rich. That mother lode is yet to be found in the 
ridges between the creeks, and when it is found it may be 
found to consist of several large lodes, or a succession of 
small ones. 



THE UPS AND DOWNS. 

In one' clean-up, eighty pounds avoirdupois of gold was 
taken out, or a total value of about sixteen thousand dol- 
lars. When you consider that the securing of this amount 
took the united labors of six men for three months, you 
can understand that there is considerable cost connected 
with the operation. 

One man who owns a claim on Eldorado and one on 
Bonanza, has sold out, it is said, for a million dollars. He 




MRS. ELLA A. JACKSON, 

(Wife of Thomas E. Jackson) 

Manchester, Maine, 

The only Maine woman to go 

to the Klondike this Spring. 



32 

went into the country a poor man with tlie intention of 
raising sufficient money to pay off the mortgage on his 
place. He has, 1 believe, not only done so, but paid off 
those of all his neighbors. 

Mr. Ogilvie gave valuable details of observations of 
temperature, and concerning the limited possibilities of the 
Yukon for gardening, and also told some interesting stories 
of game hunting. 

Mr. Ogilvie concluded, "We have there a vast region 
comprising from ninety thousand to one hundred thou- 
sand square miles of untold possibilities. Eich deposits we 
know to exist, and all may be as rich. We know now that 
there is sufficient to supply a population of a hundred 
thousand people, and I look forward to seeing that number 
of people in that country within the next ten years." 



A FAITHFUL PUBLIC SERVANT. 

Sir Charles Tupper, Bart., moved "a hearty vote of 
thanks to Mr. Ogilvie for the able and instructive lecture 
which has so interested us to-night." 

Lieutenant-Governor Dewdney, in seconding the vote 
of thanks, declared that when he was Minister of the Inte- 
rior, Mr. Ogilvie was one of his most valuable officers. 

The vote of thanks being tendered by the whole audi- 
ence rising, the meeting closed. 



victoria, b. c: 

Printed by Richard Wolfendex, 

Printer to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, 

1897. 



